Leroy Richard Digatono

Leroy R. Digatono died September 13, 2018. He was just weeks short of his 94 ^th birthday. Dick was born in Minneapolis in 1924 – the son of shoemaker Joseph and his wife Julia. Dick told many stories about growing up on the corner of 42 ^nd and Thomas. Dick met and then married homecoming queen Patricia Murphy. Then he went to war with the 15 ^th U.S. Army Air Corps, 459 ^th Bombardment Group. While maintaining B-17's in Italy a GI tossed him a “Stars and Stripes.” “Congratulations, Digatono. You’re a father!” It would be a year before he met his first child. Throughout his life Dick was a salesman, a businessman, a landlord, and an entrepreneur.  He was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus Council #3656.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Joseph, Marlen, and Virgil, and wife Patricia.

He is survived by children Patricia (Rod) Eaton, Richard (Kathy Hargarten), J. Marie, Michael (Wendy Hamm), Daniel (Angie), and Denise (Chris) Lomauro; grandchildren Rick, Gina, and Micah Digatono, Elizabeth and Laura Lomauro, Daniel and Michael Digatono, and Leah Hamm Digatono; and great-grandchildren Jaidan, Shaina, Broten, Gianna, Rocco, Gavyn, Dario, and Francesca.

A gathering will be held at Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapel, 15800 37th Ave N, Plymouth 55446 from 2 to 5 PM Sunday, September 23 with a memory service beginning at 4. If it were up to Dick, that would be followed by a poker game.

A graveside service will be held at Gethsemane Cemetery, 8151 42nd Ave. N, New Hope at 11 AM on Monday, September 24th.